insideKENT Magazine Issue 52 - July 2016 | Page 141
Evolution, and some fine engineering design, has
turned the Peugeots of old into sleek, sporty
machines, pleasing to the eye and extremely
enjoyable to drive, and there is even a noticeable
difference between this new 2008 and its
predecessor, in particular roof bars and spoiler;
a longer, sleeker sloping front and vertical front
grille, giving a faster look and more road visibility.
The appearance of the 2008 SUV affords speed,
comfort and driving pleasure, the moment you
clap eyes on its sculpted curves, and the
reassuringly chunky alloys on which it
squarely sits.
The interior of the Peugeot continues to look
stylish and sporty, but never over the top. It has
ample space for drivers, passengers, and all their
stuff in the boot, and it is fair to say it is an
extremely comfortable car to sit in and drive. I
also really liked the blue lighting around the
console dials, which made it feel sporty and
hi-tech.
And there is plenty of tech as well, such as parking
sensors, and the Active City Brake (which stops
you in a potential emergency at under 20mph).
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One of the most exciting features in my opinion,
is the inclusion of Apple Carplay – allowing you
to connect your iPhone/iPad and control it from
the car’s LCD using a suitably Apple-ish brightly
coloured touchscreen menu. And also, Siri will
be ever-present in your car, to give directions,
manage your messages and calls, and play the
Cookie Monster advert…
The 2008 runs rings round the older SUVs of
previous years, in terms of efficiency and
emissions. Whilst a car of this ilk would have cost
you the earth, perceivably done terrible things to
the planet, and had tree hugging types howling
at your garage door a few years ago, the 2008
is extremely eco- and wallet-friendly for a car of
its stature. The range of engines on offer, which
includes five petrol and three diesel options, yield
emissions of just 96-114g/km whilst offering 82130hp – they are extremely efficient and indeed,
Peugeot has been awarded best in class on
several of these, including the new 1.2L PureTech
110 S&S BVM6 engine, which the car I drove
boasted.